Murphy Selects Former Assembly Speaker to Run for Lieutenant Governor

Assemblywoman Oliver has held office at almost every level of government; from local school board in her home town of East Orange to county freeholder to her current post as an Assemblywoman representing the 34th Legislative District, which covers municipalities in Essex and Passaic Counties. The Assemblywoman currently works as an administrator for Essex County government.

She served as the Assembly Speaker from 2010-2014, guiding through several legislative initiatives including a major reform of the state’s pension and health benefits plans for state workers and passing legislation to raise the minimum wage through a ballot question in 2013.

During her time in the Assembly, Sheila Oliver built a progressive legislative record on issues important to core Democratic voters, such as sponsoring or supporting initiatives to provide equal pay, restoring Governor Christie’s funding cuts to Planned Parenthood, promoting gun safety measures, and advocating for LGBTQ rights.

The selection of Assemblywoman Oliver for the Lieutenant Governor post is seen a significant political victory for the Essex County Democratic organization. Essex is the largest Democratic vote producing county in the State. The choice of Assemblywoman Oliver helps to solidify an electoral need, while giving Essex county a representative in one of the major statewide elected offices.

In her first comments as the candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Assemblywoman Oliver noted that she would be very different from the current holder of that office and the GOP gubernatorial nominee, Kim Guadagno, who was tapped by Governor Christie to be the state’s liaison to the business community. “I will not be a lieutenant governor who handles and provides big tax breaks to our corporations, quite literally at the expense of middle class families in this state,” said Oliver.

Mayor Rendo was born in Cuba but fled the country for the United States with his family as a child. His family eventually settled in Union City, a community with a large Cuban-American population. The first of his family to graduate college, he became an American citizen in 1984. The Mayor is currently a partner in North Jersey law firm of Mulkay and Rendo, P.C., specializing in family and immigration law.

He was elected to the Woodcliff Lake Borough Council in 2013 and became its first elected Latino mayor in 2016. As Mayor, he has focused his administration on controlling taxes, preserving open space, reforming its affordable housing policy and making government more transparent.

At the announcement, Lt. Governor Guadagno stated that Mayor Rendo’s first responsibility would be to lead her “Audit Trenton” Strike Force, tasked with conducting a performance audit of all aspects of government operations to eliminate redundancies, maximize efficiency and reduce costs for taxpayers. The Strike Force will be required to meet a 100-day deadline to submit an action plan containing estimates of how much money can be saved and returned to the people of New Jersey in the form of property tax relief.

"Together, Kim and I will rely on our Main Street values to lower taxes and expand opportunities," noted Mayor Rendo.